Top 3 Boxers of 2006
By Oleg Bershadsky, BraggingRightsCorner (Jan 10, 2007)
Third place goes to Carlos Baldomir. Baldomir came out of nowhere in 2006 to take the WBC Welterweight title from Zab Judah. In this bout he managed to defeat an opponent with superior boxing ability, speed, and a fairly powerful punch. He did this through simple persistence, heart, and work ethic. He was a true Cinderella story.
Yet, this was only the beginning for Carlos as in his next match he would face Arturo “Thunder” Gatti. In this fight Baldomir not only
defeated Gatti, but he did so in a devastating fashion with a 9th round knockout. Baldomir battered Gatti for the entire fight proving that he was the real deal and earning the right to face Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Mayweather managed to dominate Baldomir who -in this case- was completely outclassed. However, no one ever gave him a shot to get as far as he did and for that he deserves to be named as one of the top boxers of 2006. What he lacked in skill, he more than made up for in heart and determination.
#2 Manny Pacquiao
In 2006 Manny faced off against one of the toughest pound for pound boxers today in Erik Morales. After losing to Morales in their first bout Manny came back to avenge his loss; in two back to back victories he completely annihilated Morales. More stunning than the wins themselves was Pacquiao’s transformation as a boxer.
The Manny Pacquiao who faced Morales in their last two bouts was not the same fighter who lost to him the first time around. This time Manny added a vicious left hook to his punching arsenal, making him an even more devastating knockout puncher. His exciting style of fighting and toughness made Manny the brightest star in boxing this year.
#1 Joe Calzaghe
Despite having an extraordinary career with an unblemished record Joe Calzaghe went into the fight against Jeff Lacy as an underdog. It was widely thought that the younger and apparently stronger Lacy would expose Calzaghe as a boxer who had been protected for much of his career.
“The Pride of Whales” had other intentions, as he scored a completely one sided unanimous decision victory. It was such a dominating performance that the judges gave all but one round to Calzaghe, who also managed to score a knockdown in the fight.
I believe Joe Calzaghe deserves to be the 'Boxer of the Year' because while the honor is based on only one fight, it was a career defining moment, a must win situation. Joe's entire career was hanging in the balance prior to the Lacy fight, and had he lost, he would have had to face a storm of criticism, with boxing “experts” branding him as a fraud.
The pressure and the magnitude of the moment further motivated Calzaghe, who proudly showcased his winner's mentality. In the end, fair or not, this fight validated Calzaghe's career to all the doubters transforming Joe Calzaghe into an international superstar who finally transcended the shores of UK.
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